Revenge
by zoebelikov
Summary: Rose thinks the most important thing to her is finding Dimitri. But is she wrong? Is there something more important that she hasn't even thought of?
1. Rose's Discovery

**Heey!**

This is my first time writing for this type of thing, and I hope you like. I know this being my first time might put you off, but please keep reading...

And yes, this is a little shorter than what is usually on here, but I was just hoping to grab your attention and find out if it is good enough to keep me going.

So thankyou :)

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_**Cheers, zoe.**_

I was completely alone in the brightly lit forest surrounding St. Vladmir's Academy. I was safe from any Strigois needing, wanting, to feed right now.

I set off down the rugged trail that headed deeper into the thickening vegetation, hoping to find any hint of where the repulsive ones who captured Dimitri, _my_ Dimitri, were headed.

Dimitri. I sighed. I would never have thought that I would have to kill my former mentor, my former lover. It would be the most challenging, most emotional experience I would ever have to face.

But I knew I could do it. I _had_ to. If I didn't there would be so many Moroi, humans, and maybe even Dhampir, that would lose their lives to a Strigoi. The Strigoi that used to be my Dimitri.

But what if I couldn't bring myself to do it? What if I could only see the Dimitri that I loved, the one who comforted me in my few moments of doubt? If I couldn't see the monster that he'd become, how could I kill him?

I thought these things over as I walked deeper and deeper into the forest. With all those questions running through my mind, I hadn't thought of what my plan would be. I didn't even know where I was headed until I reached it. The caves.

As soon as I saw the entrance to the cave, I instantly felt a shiver through my spine. That was the last place I saw Dimitri. That was where that damned blond Strigoi captured him and bit into his flesh. That image was the last image I had of him, completely defenseless. He looked just like a boy, looking up at me with his pleading eyes. And even the memory of him like that brought tears to my—

No. I had to stop thinking like that and focus on my plan. My plan, which I had yet to make.

I glanced around the cave, wondering if there was even any evidence that there had been a clash between Dhampirs, Moroi and Strigoi. There was absolutely nothing, apart from the pile of rocks in the middle of the cave.

And that's when I saw him. My Dimitri. Alive, standing.

I ran to him, too shocked to remember that he shouldn't be here. As I got there, he reached up a hand to signal for me to stop.

And that's when I really saw him.

He looked terrible. His long, normally smooth hair was wispy and all out of the usual pulled back style. His beautiful face had many scars and bruises on it. His expression was painful to look at, it was that depressed. Something was definitely wrong with him, and I couldn't stand not knowing what it was.

"Oh, Dimitri, What happened to you?" I asked with so much compassion that on any ordinary day I would have gagged.

Dimitri didn't reply. He just looked even more troubled. And then he pointed to the wall.

I quickly turned my head so that I could see what he was pointing to. At first glance I would have only thought it was just a scratch mark from the fight that went on three days ago. But as I looked more closely I realized what it was. I gasped.

"No, it couldn't be!" I practically shrieked. On the cave wall was a list, almost identical to the one that was found in the basement of the shopping mall Mason, Eddie, Mia, Christian and I invaded in search of Strigois. Exactly the same letters in exactly the same order. D B C O T D V L D Z S. The same dashes next to the same letters. There was only one difference. The one minor, yet significant difference that turned my world upside-down.


	2. Solid As A Rock

**A/N: Hey again!**

**Yes, another fairly short one, although a tiny bit longer than the first one. I guess they'll keep getting longer and longer as they go along, you're just going to have to keep reading to find out!  
****Thanks for the reviews, even though there weren't many it was still better than none :)  
****This chapter was sort of a build up for the next one, hopefully you won't mind having to wait for some real action! And if you have any ideas for me just tell me in your review that you _will_ post, and I'll take it into consideration.**

**Thanks again!**

**Oh I forgot one more thing;  
****_Disclaimer: _Richelle Mead owns all.**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

I couldn't believe it. The only difference to the list was that there was on circle around the very first 'D'. I wasn't completely sure what it meant, but I had a pretty good idea.

I turned back to Dimitri. And no matter how much I loved him, how much I knew he loved me, I had to turn back. I couldn't continue on my current mission knowing Lissa was in danger. There was just one thing I had to know before I left him behind.

"Dimitri, how are you here? I know you're not really here, because you would have tried to kill me by know. You wouldn't have showed me that list. Hell, you would have certainly talked to me if you were truly here. But you haven't, so I'm thinking something's not right." I knew I was babbling, but I couldn't help myself. There were so many questions, and not much time at all.

There was something in Dimitri's expression that stopped me thinking altogether. Something that seemed so familiar, something that I had experienced before.

All of a sudden realization hit me; Mason. Mason had the same pained look on his face when I was seeing him in his ghost form. And now, as I looked deep into Dimitri's eyes, I could tell he was a ghost. He was dead.

Tears filled my eyes. I couldn't stop them, as much as I tried. It didn't seem right. Everyone thought of the great Dimitri Belikov as indestructible, even me, and I had seen him in his most vulnerable states.

From my previous experience I knew that ghosts could only answer with a simple yes or no. So I tried to understand the situation a little better. "Dimitri, are, are you… are you dead?" I whispered, dreading the answer that would come out of his swollen lips.

Instead of speaking the answer, he just shook his head.

Wait a second, _shook his head_? So, so he isn't dead?

I was so full of ecstasy that I forgot his inability to speak. "So, you're not dead? What are you then? Half dead, half alive? But that makes no sense, maybe he's just a special Strigoi… Or, maybe he's not Strigoi at all, maybe he's something completely different…" By the end of my ranting I was mumbling to myself.

When I finally remembered that he wouldn't answer me, I continued on a more careful path.

"Are you Strigoi?" I asked, knowing the answer before I had even asked the stupid question.

All the same, he nodded his damaged head, confirming what I knew already. But what I didn't know was why I was seeing him as if he was dead. Which he undoubtedly wasn't.

"Well," I was so frustrated at not knowing the answer, that I couldn't stop myself from screaming, "HOW THE HELL ARE YOU HERE? Come on comrade, you have to give me an answer. I'm pretty much dying here."

I waited for him to do something. Anything. Anything that would at least calm me down enough to go back to my best friend, who was most likely running out of precious time. I continued to stare at Dimitri with what felt like a crazed look, hoping he would even move.

After what felt like an eternity he opened his mouth as if to speak. And then closed it again.

_Argh, what's with him?_ I thought. I was running out of patience, fast. And time, for that matter.

I was just about to turn around and storm out of the cave, when something completely unexpected happened.

"_Roza, they're coming for her. Save her, save yourself, and then save me. I'll be fine until then. Just do your duty and follow your instincts. I believe you can do it, just don't lose sight of what you have to do._"

I was speechless. Dimitri had said that to me, and yet he didn't move his mouth at all. It seemed impossible, but I felt as if I knew where it had come from.

I knew that I had to leave now, but I was mesmerized by the intense, painful glare coming from Dimitri.

All too quickly I felt nauseous. It was familiar, an uncomfortable feeling I had felt before.

After my last encounter with Strigoi I could tell when they were close, just by the nauseating feeling that swarmed inside of me. The worse I felt; the more Strigoi were close.

I didn't feel that sick at all, so I guessed that there was only one or two hiding somewhere in the cave.

None the less I prepared for the worst case scenario; I would be outnumbered by thirty blloodcrazed Strigoi, and if that were the case I would have to put up a hell of a fight.

I crouched into a defensive stance, getting ready for them to pounce. And I waited.

I waited for what seemed like hours, although it couldn't have been more than two minutes. I grew more impatient, more scared by the second.

I finally decided to take a couple of cautious steps forward, frustrated that the Strigoi hadn't made their move yet. It would be anytime soon though, so I had to keep my guard up.

I took the first step slowly, just like the slow-motion you see in movies. I carefully scanned the area, clutching onto the silver stake shoved furiously in my belt.

After observing my surrounding three times and not noticing anything out of the ordinary, I sniffed the air, not sure of what I would smell. I had no idea what Strigoi smelled like, or even if they had a certain smell. But I was sure I would be able to pick out if there were any bodies left behind.

There was one thing I did not expect. It caught me completely off guard, and I was left motionless. All of the air stopped circulating through my lungs, and it felt as though my heart had stopped beating. I was solid as a rock.


End file.
